Havana Jazz Café Lineup

HAVANA TIMES, Jan 16 — The Havana Jazz Café located on the third floor of the Galeria de Paseo Shopping Center (Paseo and First St., Vedado) has top line Cuban jazz performances nightly.

The restaurant opens at 12 noon and the bar from 9 pm. to 2 am.  One-set shows start around 11 pm.  Admission is always a 10 CUC minimum charge.  For more information call 838-3556.

The following is the current standing performance dates.

LAZARO VALDES Y SON JAZZ

On Monday evenings the Jazz Café presents Lazaro Valdes and his group Son Jazz.

Pianist, composer and arranger Lazaro Valdes belongs to a family of renowned Cuban musicians. He possesses wide musical experience that comes from his participation as the pianist and musical director of the Banda Gigante de Benny Moré.

His group Son Jazz is an example of the interpretation of Cuban jazz in the styles of other genres such as son, danza, contradanza, danzón and guajira – creating an excellent fusion. His repertoire is made up of musical works written by himself and of versions by other important Cuban and foreign musicians, always with the incomparable style of his group.

Admission: 10 CUC, minimum charge

Telephone: 838-3556

EMILIO MORALES

Every Tuesday evening, guitarist Emilio Morales will be presented in the Jazz Café.

En el año 1967 funda la Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna junto a Chucho Valdés, Cachaito, Paquito de Rivera, Enrique Plá y Carlos del Puerto.

Años más tarde, al decaer el impulso creativo inicial de la orquesta y pasar a ser prácticamente un grupo acompañante de cantantes populares, estos mismos músicos fundarían la banda cubana de jazz Irakere, ícono del jazz latino el mundo. Con esta agrupación, Morales realizaría numerosas giras al extranjero.

OSCAR VALDES AND DIAKARA

Every Wednesday and Thursday, Oscar Valdes and his group Diakara will be presented in the Jazz Café.

Oscar Valdes, a world famous percussionist and a founding member of Irakere, is one of the precursors of the introduction of batá drums in jazz.  He created the Diakara project, in which Afro-Cuban and Caribbean rhythms are mixed with jazz.

CESAR LOPEZ Y HABANA ENSEMBLE

Every Friday and Saturday evening, Cesar Lopez and his group Habana Ensemble will be presented at the Jazz Café.

Cesar Lopez is a recognized soprano and tenor saxophonist who has realized a brilliant career within national as well as international jazz circles. He was a member of the group Irakere until 1998, when he founded the Habana Ensemble.

His work over the years has demonstrated his talent as a composer, arranger and pianist.  The  projects of Lopez mix elements of several Cuban musical genres with those of contemporary jazz, resulting in magnificent work that has left a fine impression on the Cuban public and listeners abroad.

ROBERTO FONSECA Y TEMPERAMENTO

Every Sunday night, Roberto Fonseca and his group Temperamento will be presented in the Jazz Café.

Fonseca is an excellent pianist and composer with a very personal and innovative style that follows the different tendencies of Cuban piano.  A former member of the Buena Vista Social Club, his current group is made up of musicians Javier Zalba, Ramses Rodriguez and Omar Gonzalez.  They create a fusion of jazz and Cuban music, with a marked influence of Afro-Cuban music reaching back to Yoruba song and other styles.